Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi |
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| Created by | Ekta Kapoor |
| Written by | Anil Nagpal, Rajesh Joshi, Anand Gandhi, Vipul Mehta |
| Directed by | Santosh Bhatt, Nivedita Basu, Santram Varma, Avhiroop Mazzumdar, Deepak Sharma |
| Starring | Smriti Irani, Amar Upadhyay, Hiten Tejwani, Gauri Pradhan, Shakti Anand, Ketaki Dave, Kamalika Guha Thakurta |
| Creative director | Nivedita Basu |
| Opening theme | "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" by Priya Bhattacharya |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| No. of episodes | 1,833 |
| Producer(s) | Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor |
| Production company | Balaji Telefilms |
| Release | |
| Original network | Star Plus |
| Original release | 3 July 2000 – 6 November 2008 |
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (transl. Because Even a Mother-in-Law Was a Daughter-in-Law Once) is an Indian Hindi-language TV series that aired on Star Plus from 3 July 2000 to 6 November 2008. Produced by Ekta and Shobha Kapoor under Balaji Telefilms, it follows Tulsi Virani, an ideal daughter-in-law married to Mihir Virani. Smriti Irani played Tulsi, winning multiple awards for her role. The show was hugely popular, topping TRP charts for seven years and helping establish Star Plus’s “big 3” soap operas, alongside Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kasautii Zindagii Kay.
cast
- Smriti Irani as Tulsi Virani – Virani priest's daughter; Mihir's wife
- Amar Upadhyay / Inder Kumar / Ronit Roy as Mihir Virani – Savita and Mansukh's son; Tulsi's husband
- Mandira Bedi / Achint Kaur as Dr. Mandira Gujral / Priyanka Dutta – Anupam's sister
- Dinesh Thakur / Sudhir Dalvi as Govardhan Virani – Amba's husband
- Sudha Shivpuri as Amba Virani – Govardhan's widow
- Jaya Bhattacharya as Payal Mehra – Mihir's ex-fiancée
- Shakti Singh as Mansukh Virani – Govardhan and Amba's eldest son
- Apara Mehta as Savita Virani – Mansukh's wife
- Sumeet Sachdev as Gautam "Gomzy" Virani – Tulsi and Mihir's eldest son
- Ashlesha Sawant as Teesha Mehta Virani – Gautam's second wife
- Riva Bubber / Ravee Gupta as Damini Joshi Virani – Gautam's third wife
- Rahul Lohani as Mayank Virani – Gautam and Damini's elder son
- Naman Shaw as Nakul Virani – Gautam and Damini's younger son
- Unknown / Anita Hassanandani as Sanchi Virani – Nakul's wife
- Ritu Chaudhary as Shobha Virani Choudhary – Tulsi and Mihir's daughter
- Palak Jain as Child Shobha Virani
- Vivan Bhatena / Nasir Khan as Abhishek Choudhary – Shobha's ex-husband
- Rohit Bakshi as Vishal Mehra – Payal and Pratap's son; Shobha's ex-husband (deceased)
- Garima Bhatnagar as Pari Choudhary – Shobha and Abhishek's daughter
- Hiten Tejwani as Karan Virani – Mihir and Mandira's son
- Gauri Pradhan as Nandini Thakkar Virani – Ansh's ex-wife
- Rakshanda Khan as Tanya Malhotra – Karan's second wife
- Akashdeep Saigal as Ansh Gujral – Tulsi and Mihir's younger son
- Amey Pandya as Child Eklavya Virani – Eklavya Gujral/Eklavya Virani
- Mouni Roy as Krishna Tulsi Virani – Eklavya's wife
- Reshmi Ghosh as Bhoomi Virani Gujral – Nandini and Ansh's daughter
- Chinky Jaiswal as Child Bhoomi Virani
- Manav Vij as Joydeep – Bhoomi's husband
- Amit Tandon / Vishal Watwani / Amit Tandon as Manthan Virani – Karan and Tanya's son
- Mehul Kajaria as Harsh Virani / Harsh Bhasin – Kesar and Raj's son
- Tassnim Sheikh as Mohini Virani – Harsh's wife
- Jiten Lalwani as Kiran Virani – Mansukh and Savita's younger son
- Eva Grover / Rushali Arora as Aarti Virani – Kiran's ex-wife
- Kiran Dubey as Karishma Virani Dey – Kiran and Aarti's daughter
- Narendra Jha as Shantanu Dey – Karishma's husband
- Jitendra Trehan as Himmat Virani – Govardhan and Amba's second son
- Ketki Dave as Daksha Virani – Himmat's wife
- Hussain Kuwajerwala / Amit Mistry as Chirag Virani – Himmat and Daksha's son
- Tuhina Vohra as Prajakta Virani – Chirag's wife
- Masumi Mevawala as Savri Virani – Chirag and Prajakta's elder daughter
- Amita Chandekar as Bavri Virani – Chirag and Prajakta's younger daughter
- Hansika Motwani / Chandni Bhagwanani as Child Bavri Virani
- Aditya Kapadia as Hitesh Virani – Chirag and Prajakta's son
- Pooja Ghai Rawal as Suhasi Virani Mehta – Daksha and Himmat's daughter
- Prashant Bhatt as Rakesh Mehta – Suhasi's husband
- Shabbir Ahluwalia as Aniket Mehta – Rakesh's son; Suhasi's stepson
- Karanvir Bohra / Pradeep Kharab / Sameer Sharma as Tushar Mehta – Rakesh and Suhasi's son
- Gunjan Walia as Kanika Mehta – Tushar's wife
- Muni Jha as Jamnadas Virani – Amba and Govardhan's youngest son
- Kamalika Guha Thakurta as Gayatri Virani – Jamnadas's wife
- Shakti Anand as Hemant Virani – Jamnadas and Gayatri's son
- Prachi Shah as Pooja Virani – Hemant's wife
- Sandeep Baswana / Amit Sarin as Sahil Virani – Hemant and Pooja's elder son
- Shilpa Saklani as Ganga Virani – Sahil's wife (first wife)
- Abhijit Khurana / Alok Arora as Tarun Virani – Hemant and Pooja's younger son
- Suvarna Jha as Tripti Virani – Sahil's ex-wife
- Pulkit Samrat / Yash Pandit as Lakshya Virani – Ganga and Sahil's son
- Tia Bajpai as Vaidehi Virani – Lakshya's wife
Production
= Directors
The show was directed by many directors over the years. It began with Kaushik Ghatak, who directed the first 150 episodes. As the series continued, several others took over, including Ashish Patil, Nivedita Basu, Suraj Rao, Dharmesh Shah, Santram Varma, Garry Bhinder, Deepak Chavan, Fahad Kashmiri, Avhiroop Mazzumdar, Jeetu Arora, Santosh Kolhe, Vicky Chauhan, Rohit Dwivedi, Deepak Sharma, Talat Jani, Hitesh Tejwani, Anoop Chaudhary, and V.G. Roy.
Development
The shooting of the show began on 7 April 2000. It completed 1000 episodes on 13 April 2005 with a special 45-minute episode featuring Ekta Kapoor. Akashdeep Saigal’s entry as Ansh in 2004 became the show’s costliest scene, costing around ₹5 lakh. The story took three major leaps—first a 20-year leap in 2002, then 3 years, and again 20 years in 2006. The show was originally titled Amma, but Sachin Pilgaonkar suggested Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, and Ekta Kapoor added Kyunki. It was shot in Mumbai, and also in Sydney and Switzerland. The series had crossovers with Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii in 2007–08.
Casting
Mihir’s character was named after Ekta Kapoor’s school friend, while Tulsi’s character was inspired from the book Jad Chetan. Jignesh Gandhi was first selected as Mihir, but the role went to Amar Upadhyay. Smriti Irani was initially rejected in auditions, but Ekta Kapoor personally chose her for Tulsi. After Amar Upadhyay quit in 2001, public demand brought him back, but he left again in 2002 and was replaced by Inder Kumar, and later Ronit Roy, who continued till the end. In 2007, Smriti Irani left the show and was replaced by Gautami Kapoor, but Irani returned in 2008, revealing Gautami’s character as an imposter.
Reception
Critical Response
Critics praised the show for its universal appeal and strong emotional storytelling. Shailaja Bajpai of The Indian Express said the series worked because it blended family values, festivals, drama, and melodrama in a relatable way. The show also changed television habits by making the late-night 10–11 pm slot extremely popular, a rating success unmatched by later shows. The Tribune emphasized how the show's characters evoked empathy in viewers and its strong bond with Indian households.
Ratings
From 2000 to 2008, the show was among the most popular TV serials in India. With double-digit ratings, it frequently dominated the TRP charts and remained in the top spots. Viewership peaked at 22.4 TVR during Mihir’s return in 2001—one of the highest ever for an Indian serial. Though ratings gradually decreased after 2006 due to viewership fragmentation, the show still remained in the top five until its final years. Its last episode drew more than 5 million viewers.
Recognitions
The series won numerous awards throughout its run, especially for Smriti Irani’s performance as Tulsi. It received Best Continuing Series six years in a row at the Indian Telly Awards and Best Serial (Popular) five times at the Indian Television Academy Awards. It was also the first Indian daily soap to cross 1000 episodes, entered the Limca Book of Records, and became one of the longest-running TV shows of the 2000s with 1833 episodes.
Impact
The show had a major cultural impact across India. Mihir’s on-screen death led to nationwide protests, forcing the makers to bring his character back. Viewers recreated the show’s grand sets at home, and despite real-life events like the Gujarat earthquake, audiences tuned in regularly. The show also triggered controversies—from copyright disputes to protests over sensitive scenes like marital rape and euthanasia. It became the first Indian serial broadcast in Afghanistan, where it gained huge popularity before being banned.
Achievement
Awards
| Year | Category | Recipient | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Best Actress of The Year | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2002 | Best Television Personality | Amar Upadhyay | Mihir Virani |
| 2002 | Best TV Show of The Year | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2002 | Best Continuing TV Show | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2003 | Best Actress of The Year | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2003 | Best Television Personality | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2003 | Best Daily Serial | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2003 | Best Continuing TV Programme | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2004 | Best Actor of The Year | Hiten Tejwani | Karan Virani |
| 2004 | Best Continuing TV Programme | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2005 | Best Child Artiste (Female) | Chinky Jaiswal | Bhoomi Virani |
| 2005 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Hiten Tejwani | Karan Virani |
| 2005 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Gauri Pradhan Tejwani | Nandini Virani |
| 2005 | Best Actor in a Negative Role | Akashdeep Saighal | Ansh Gujral |
| 2005 | Best Continuing TV Programme | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2006 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Hiten Tejwani | Karan Virani |
| 2006 | Best Fresh New Face (Male) | Pulkit Samrat | Lakshya Virani |
| 2006 | Best Television Personality | Ronit Roy | Mihir Virani |
| 2006 | Best Continuing TV Programme | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2007 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Critics) | Hiten Tejwani | Karan Virani |
| 2007 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Popular) | Gauri Pradhan Tejwani | Nandini Virani |
| 2007 | Best Continuing Serial | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2010 | Best Actor of The Decade | Ronit Roy | Mihir Virani |
| Year | Category | Recipient | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Best Actor (Popular) | Amar Upadhyay | Mihir Virani |
| 2001 | Best Actress (Popular) | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2001 | Best Serial (Popular) | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2001 | Best Star Cast | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2002 | Best Actress (Popular) | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2002 | Best Serial (Popular) | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2003 | Best Actor (Popular) | Ronit Roy | Mihir Virani |
| 2003 | Best Actress (Popular) | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2003 | Best Serial (Popular) | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2003 | Best Audiography | Vikas Patil | |
| 2004 | Best Actor (Popular) | Ronit Roy | Mihir Virani |
| 2004 | Best Actress (Popular) | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2004 | Best Serial (Popular) | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2005 | Best Actor (Popular) | Hiten Tejwani | Karan Virani |
| 2005 | Best Actress (Popular) | Smriti Irani | Tulsi Virani |
| 2005 | Best Serial (Popular) | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2005 | Best Supporting Actress (Jury) | Shilpa Saklani | Ganga Virani |
| 2006 | Best Teleplay (Jury) | Anil Nagpal | |
| 2010 | ITA Milestone Award | Sudha Shivpuri | Baa |
| 2010 | ITA Milestone Award | Apara Mehta | Savita |
| 2010 | ITA Milestone Award | Smriti Irani | Tulsi |
| 2010 | ITA Milestone Award | Hiten Tejwani | Karan |
| 2010 | ITA Milestone Award | Sumeet Sachdev | Gautam |
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Kalakar Awards | Best Actor (Popular) | Amar Upadhyay | Mihir Virani |
| 2004 | Kalakar Awards | Best Actor (Popular) | Ronit Roy | Mihir Virani |
| 2004 | Kalakar Awards | Best Actress (Popular) | Jaya Bhattacharya | Payal Mehra |
| 2004 | Kalakar Awards | Best Serial | Ekta Kapoor | |
| 2004 | Kalakar Awards | Best Title Singer | Priya Bhattacharya |
Sequel
Sequel
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi later received an official sequel titled ''Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2''. The sequel continues the storyline 25 years after the events of the original series, following the next generation of the Virani family while also featuring the return of key characters such as Tulsi and Mihir Virani.